The invention relates to a rear axle suspension for automotive vehicles with a driven, rigid or semirigid rear axle supported by means of elastic joints on longitudinal control arms.
In a rear axle suspension for automotive vehicles with a driven rear axle supported with elastic joints on longitudinal control arms, the joints exhibit differing rigidities in the vertical extension and in the longitudinal direction (U.S. Pat. No. 2,989,330). To affect springing and damping, as well as to reduce vibration of the rear axle suspension, the joints are designed to be soft in the vertical direction and to be hard in the longitudinal direction for an exact guidance of the rear axle. However, an understeering [under control of the peripheral force] does not take place on the basis of this joint design.
It is an object of the invention to provide a rear axle suspension for automotive vehicles with a driven, rigid or semirigid rear axle wherein an undercontrol of the peripheral force is attained (i.e., during application of the brakes or during acceleration, a change in the toe-in results at the axle in a forward direction by means of a wider curve radius) solely by the construction of the elastic joints, by means of which the rear axle is guided on longitudinal control arms.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, this object is attained by the use of elastic joints that are constructed so as to be less resilient in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when the wheel is in a downward (spring tensioned) deflected condition than when the wheel is in an upward (spring relaxed) deflected position.
Among the advantages attained in particular by the invention are that with constructionally simple means a change in the toe-in is obtained on the wheel on the outside of the curve in case of a braking force exerted by the engine brake or foot brake, by providing that the longitudinal control means on the inside of the curve yields rearwardly to a greater extent than the longitudinal control means on the outside of the curve.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention.